The present invention is directed generally to a product for containing and applying an applique material, such as ink, paint or mascara, or other flowable material, including fluids, pastes and finely granulated products, and more particularly to a new and improved product for removing excess applique from an applicator, such as a brush or swab, and to a new and improved method for the manufacture of such a product.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved system for containing and applying an applique material and for removing excess applique from an applicator utilizing a flexible-walled, self-supporting, deformable sleeve-like segment which may be squeezed and manipulated by finger pressure against the applicator as it is removed from a quantity of applique material, as described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,390, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved product for containing and applying an applique material which permits use of a flexible-walled, self-supporting, sleeve-like segment deformable by finger pressure, and which also reduces the possibility of either the flexible segment or the applique material drying out between uses of the applique material, or before the applique container is emptied.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved product for containing and applying an applique material which permits use of a flexible-walled, self-supporting, deformable sleeve member which may be deformed by applying finger pressure to the exterior surface thereof so as to allow the consumer to continuously vary the amount of applique on the applicator, ranging from application of light finger pressurexe2x80x94providing a minimal wipe of excess applique, to maximum finger pressurexe2x80x94virtually cleaning the applicator of applique material.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved method for manufacturing a package for containing an applique material, such as, e.g., ink, paint, polish, glitter or mascara, and for applying such a material by an applicator, such as, e.g., a bristle brush or a sponge swab, and which includes a flexible-walled, self-supporting, sleeve-like segment deformable by finger pressure for removing excess applique material from the applicator prior to removal of the applicator from the container housing the applique material.
Heretofore, those working in the cosmetic industry have concentrated their efforts on specializing designs for the applicator brush or bristles, or techniques for mounting the brush bristles to the applicator rod and/or to the mascara formula itself. The apparent goal of these prior attempts has been to provide the consumer with a single, specific mascara product that will solve or provide for the needs and/or aesthetic taste of every consumer. These prior mascara products have had numerous shortcomings and disadvantages, primarily because they have not permitted the individual user to vary or tailor the mascara product to suit her desired purpose or aesthetic taste.
More particularly, prior mascara formulas have tended to be relatively thick in order to assure that the mascara liquid will remain on the brush when it is removed from the container. This requires the user to first wipe and twist the brush against the open lip of the mascara reservoir and/or, often thereafter, to additionally wipe or blot the brush on a facial tissue or other paper or cloth before applying the mascara to the eyelashes. As a result, dried mascara quickly builds up on the end of the mascara tube and clumps of mascaraxe2x80x94formed from dried mascara and/or foreign paper or lint debris falling into the mascara reservoir or brought in by the brushxe2x80x94soon appear in the mascara reservoir, and from there onto the eyelashes, causing both an unsightly appearance and irritation to the eyes. Because of these difficulties and annoyances, a tube of mascara often must be discarded long before it is emptied, adding to the disadvantages of the prior products.
In addition, although much effort has been concentrated on brush designs intended to provide the most desirable spreading of mascara onto the eyelashes, these efforts heretofore have been rendered largely inoperative because of the inability to effectively remove excess mascara from the brush bristles without introducing foreign matter into the mascara. For example, the forward or distal end of the brush bristles typically are of decreased length to enable application of mascara to the innermost lashes, but these shorter bristles often end up with unwanted excess mascara carried over from the longer bristles, a problem known in the cosmetic industry as a xe2x80x9ctailingxe2x80x9d. This tailing of excess mascara is either wasted, if it is removed by wiping or blotting on tissue or the like, or it interferes with the proper use of the shorter brush bristles. Another unwanted result of this tailing often occurs when it smudges on the side of the nose as the user attempts to apply mascara on the innermost eyelashes.
In contrast, the provision of a flexible sleeve embodying the present invention mounted at the open end of the mascara reservoir places control of the mascara application in the hands of each consumer, enabling each consumer to achieve essentially an infinite range of variability of mascara application with a given brush and a given mascara formula. This, in turn, has the advantage of much less costly brush and/or mascara development and manufacture. For example, thinner mascara formulas may be used without fear of the mascara dripping off the brush because the flexible control sleeve can be manipulated in a continuously varying manner so as to wipe and drain excess mascara back into the housing; thicker mascara formulas also may be used successfully by applying a lighter, or minimal, finger pressure to the control sleeve on initial applications to the lashes and then applying a firmer, or maximum, finger pressure to the control sleeve for the final applications, leaving either less mascara on the brush or essentially wiping the brush clean. In this way, the amount of mascara applied to the eyelashes may be controlled by the user as desired. A tight squeeze during final applications of mascara advantageously may permit the brush bristles to provide a feathering or combing effect to the eyelashes, which tends to separate and/or spread each lash from the others, providing the desired fullxe2x80x94bodied appearance to the eyelashes.
It will be seen that the flexible control sleeve as here embodied thus solves the tailing problem that has long plagued the cosmetic industry. The provision of a sleeve that can be manipulated by finger pressure allows excess mascara to be removed evenly, or as otherwise desired, along the entire length of the brush, whether the bristles are longer or shorter. In fact, it has been found that the bristles of mascara brushes transmit a tactile sensation through the wall of the flexible sleeve embodying my invention to the fingers, enabling the user to feel the location of the brush and thereby xe2x80x9cpinch offxe2x80x9d the mascara tailing with increased finger pressure as the end of the brush is drawn through the flexible sleeve. This ability to feel the mascara brush bristles, in turn, serves to effectuate the intended operation of various specialized bristle arrangements, which heretofore has not been possible with the mascara containers utilized in the cosmetic industry. Furthermore, in the embodiment of my invention where the flexible control sleeve is formed from a transparent material, the user has the added advantage of being able to see the amount of mascara, or other applique material, being removed from the applicator as it is in the process of being withdrawn through the control sleeve.
The provision of a flexible control sleeve as here embodied also has been found to be highly advantageous because excess mascara wiped from the brush always stays inside the reservoir housing, which prevents or retards premature drying and/or clumping of the mascara. In addition, because facial tissue or other external wiping cloth is not required to remove excess mascara from the brush, foreign material is kept outside the mascara reservoir, reducing or totally eliminating the formation of clumps in the mascara fluid.
Finally, because all excess mascara during each use remains in the reservoir, and because premature drying and clumping is prevented, or at least retarded, the present invention is also advantageous in reducing or eliminating wastage of the mascara.
While the present invention was conceived and developed primarily for use in the cosmetic industry, and particularly for the application of mascara, its advantages are not limited to either mascara or cosmetics. Instead, the foregoing objects and specific advantages of the invention as applied to a mascara product are illustrative of those which can be achieved by the present invention and are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the possible advantages which may be realized with other fluid, paste or finely granulated products and in other industries, such as inks, paints or polishes. Thus, these and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description herein or can be learned from practicing the invention, both as embodied herein or as modified in view of any variations which may be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the inking, painting, crafts, cosmetic and/or molding arts, the same being realized and attained by means of the parts, constructions and instrumentations, and combinations thereof, as well as in the steps and processes pointed out in the appended claims. The present invention resides in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations, steps and processes, and improvements, herein shown and described.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a package is provided for storing and dispensing a fluid applique material, such as mascara, onto an applicator, such as brush bristles. The applique is contained in a housing reservoir and the applicator is provided at the distal end of a rod mounted internally within a cap member, such that the applicator rests adjacent to the bottom of the reservoir when the cap member is secured to the housing member to close the package.
A flexible deformable sleeve member preferably is formed from a moldable material and is molded directly to the housing member so as to provide a sealed connection between the flexible sleeve and reservoir housing. Alternatively, the sleeve may be molded as a separate unit and thereafter assembled to the housing member, which may be found advantageous in permitting the housing reservoir to be filled with applique material before assembly of the sleeve to the housing member.
The flexible sleeve includes an open-ended passageway communicating at one end with the applique reservoir, the passageway adapted to receive the applicator therethrough substantially without interference when the sleeve is in its undeformed state. In this embodiment, the cap member is adapted to fit over and about the sleeve member and to be removably secured to the outer surface of the housing member to close the package. When closed, the free end of the sleeve member sealingly engages the inner end surface of the cap member.
In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the free end of the sleeve member is molded and/or bonded directly to a rigid, relatively thin plate member and the cap member is adapted to be secured to the plate member to thereby close the package. In this embodiment, the sleeve member forms an intermediate exterior surface of the package that is sealed at each of its opposed end surfaces between the cap and housing members.
In preferred embodiments of the invention, the internal passageway of the sleeve member includes a series of circular thread-like grooves and ridges, and the exterior wall of the sleeve member is narrowed to provide a central concave surface facilitating gripping, squeezing and/or manipulating the sleeve, and thus the inner passageway, against the applicator so as to enable the user to dispense the desired amount of applique on the applicator. Also, preferably, the flexible sleeve is moldable from an elastomeric material which is transparent and self-supporting after molding, and has sufficient tensile and tear strength to resist tearing upon twisting or other manipulation of the sleeve. In still other preferred embodiments of the invention, especially where the flexible sleeve forms an intermediate exterior surface of the package, the sleeve advantageously may incorporate different tints of color, pigment, glitter, etc., either as decoration or serving to identify the contents of the package.